Hong Kong Review

Hong Kong Review

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Why Visit Hong KongSince my first visit to Hong Kong three years ago, I always wanted to come back. I have never seen a city with so much energy, amazing food, endless interesting shopping, and a perfect blend of the east and the west. The great thing about this Asian city is that not only many people speak English but also has a fantastic culture with the East picking anywhere from food and culture of many of its Asian neighbors. Hong Kong it perfectly summarizes the New York of Asia, but on steroids.

FlightHong Kong is an incredible destination, but it’s not easy to get to if you come from the United States. We had to catch a flight from Dallas and to arrive in Hong Kong it was another 14 hours and 45 minutes. Now once you get there, it’s all worth it. However, it is not easy. So make sure you have plenty of rest, wifi, great movies and things to do on a plane because it is a long ride.Airport DistanceHong Kong international is next to Lantau island and around 45 minutes away from Hong Kong island. Most people stay on Hong Kong island, that’s where most of the happening is located, Lan Kwai Fong and other shopping areas.How to Get AroundKeep in mind that taxi in Hong Kong is not the most friendly peeps in the world. It is a much more delightful experience to grab Ubers. Taxi cabs are old school and very limited English. One of the few negative points about this city. So when possible, go Uber.

Our Tour Guide Vincent was outstanding!

SafetyHong Kong is as safe as it can be. You can walk at night time with no issues in most parts of the city. Other areas such as Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei appears to be not as safe at night.

Subways are clean, organized and easy to use

WeatherIt is dry and cool from early November to late March. You are probably not going to have had temperatures lower than 8 degrees Celsius. It rains almost every day. The highest temperature is around 35 Celsius in most months of the year. So not too warm or cold.

Language

Most population do speak Cantonese, Mandarin (Chinese) is the second choice, followed by English. Lots of folks do speak English on the island (except taxicabs), and there are plenty of foreigners that live and visit the city.

Copy that

CurrencyIn most places, Hong Kong dollars is the only accepted currency. You may also want to get an Octopus card that can be bought at the airport and subway stations, they are accepted in 90% of the shops.

Not a bad view from our hotel

Hotel & Where I StayedWe stayed at Lan Kwai Fong Hotel only a few minutes away from the famous Lan Kwai Fong area. This is the busiest area of the city, with endless choices of food, shopping, and nightlife. You want to stay as close as you can to this area. The hotel was good with very excellent customer service. I always ask for high floors, which gave me an awesome view of the city.

View from the ferry from Hong Kong island to Harbour City

Local Tours (Boats and others)We booked our guide to the Viator website (tourguides.viator.com). The guide who showed up was excellent, but a different one from the site. Also, the price was changed too. First time I had that kind of experience on the site, after booking over 20 tours. I decided not to argue and continue with the two days booked tour. Life is short, so need to cry over small stuff. 🙂

Day 1 (Lan Kwai Fong area)– 45 min ride from Airport to Central Hong Kong.– Uber your way, taxis speak zero to minimum English and very unfriendly.– Lan Kwai Fong is an amazing area for bars, restaurants, and shopping by Queen’s road central. Soho is another great area for restaurants.

The best place to take a photoHong Kong Harbour, Victoria Peak, and Ozone Bar (highest in the world)

Victoria Peek View

Food & RestaurantsMake sure to try every food in Hong Kong. This city has so many options it will blow your mind. Lan Kwai Fong area has many restaurant options. My Top Tips:Breakfast: The cupping roomBubble Teas: Everywhere, try one a day and pick your best one. Look for where the locals are ordering. Grill Thai BBQ Skewers by Lan Kwai Fong (check out my Vlog on that)Ozone bar and restaurant (best view of the city at night)Amazing Dessert Store: Cha-no-wa. Look for the matcha cookies and chocolates.

Nightlife Hong Kong is probably the best live music city I have ever been to, and most of the action is again in Lan Kwai Fong area. There are several excellent bars around that area. You can also buy your drink of choice and walk the streets. For fancy drinking, check out Ozone bar, the highest in the world at the Ritz Carlton building. Also, Ce La vi rooftop is a great choice in Lan Kwai Fong. Another option is Cafe grey bar at the Upper House Hotel.

Lan Kwai Fong Action

Shopping Mong Kok area is a bargain shopper paradise! You can even buy goldfish and animals there. There are so many shopping stores you will lose your mind. Just make sure to watch your pockets because the area is really busy.

For regular shopping, Lan Kwai Fong has many stores, local or international. Main shopping is at Queen’s road central.

Mong Kok area is incredible for shopping

CasinosNo Casino visit to report here, many of folks that want to gamble grab a ferry and head to Macau. Macau is just 1 hour away by ferry. There are some places next to Hong Kong island that allows gambling, but not in Hong Kong island.SpasWe did not have enough time to visit spas there, relaxing is never on my schedule when I visit Hong Kong.

Overall ImpressionHong Kong is a thrilling of a city as one can find. Not only is international, but it has an amazing character from so many other Asian countries such as the food and culture. If you enjoy 24 hours cities, book your flight with ease. You will not regret this fantastic city. Be jetting and buy experiences!Author: Marcello Sobrinho from www.youliketotravel.com

About the Author:

For those of you that love to travel and adventure around this amazing globe. We are here to give you amazing tips and experiences around the world. Marcello is a high energy traveler having visited 39 countries around the globe. He is also a business consultant with many skills such as sales, business development, marketing, customer service, management, event management, trade shows, and others. Marcello graduated in the top 1% of San Jose State University earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Business & Finance. Marcello also earned his MBA at Florida International University in Miami.

Marcello is also a big endorser of Children and Minorities Rights. After being born in Brazil, Marcello is going to dedicate proceeds from this site towards children and minorities causes. Coming from a family of conscious parents and country in need like Brazil, Marcello knows that it is his duty to help. So, he thanks for your visit to his site today.

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About Me

Marcello Sobrinho

For those of you that love to travel and adventure around this amazing globe. We are here to give you amazing tips and experiences around the world. Marcello is a high energy traveler having visited 42 countries around the globe. He is also a business consultant with many skills such as sales, business development, marketing, customer service, management, event management, tradeshows, and others. Marcello graduated in the top 1% of San Jose State University earning his Bachelors Degree in Business & Finance. Marcello also earned his MBA at Florida International University in Miami. Marcello speaks fluently three languages: English, Portuguese, and Spanish. Marcello currently works at ADP and is a six times Sales President’s Club and four times Pinnacle Award Winner for the Fortune 100 company.